Dennis Hollingsworth

Old, Old Friends

I love the internet. I've been able to get in touch with a couple of old friends, Pat Costello and Bob Burnidge, shipmates from days spent in the Navy, now so long ago. During my enlistment, I enjoyed the company of two crews in succession on board the USS Truxtun, a cruiser stationed in the Pacific. Pat and Bob were from the first crew, Vietnam era guys (I joined in '74, at the tail end of the war). They were especially salty. Not enough time here to tell sea tales.

Deb and I are into our sixth winter now on our acreage. What a winter it has been. Four times in three weeks we had to ask a neighbor to come over with their tractor and dig us out. We have 20" of snow on the ground and it
is not melting. It will truly be a glorious Spring this year. Last Summer we built a story and a half garage. The upper half is for my work shop. We also got a yellow Lab puppy in June. She is now full grown and answers to the name Bailey. With the addition of Bailey we now have two dogs ( Libby - Cocker Spaniel ), two cats ( Snicker and Pepper) and ten chickens ( one rooster, nine hens). I do love those fresh eggs.

I can't express enough, how good that made me feel.

Bob was a couple years older, he had been around the block and ready to get out of the service when I met him. That means I looked up to him (eyes of a eighteen year old fresh out of boot) like a big brother figure of sorts. He had this ease about him, no matter how hectic things got in Combat. Combat Information Center that is, the dark room behind the bridge where we watched the radar screens. Luckily, the whole enlistment was uneventful, a succession of drills and exercises interspersed with liberty at ports of call.

More sea tales later, modest though mine might be. Thanks to Bob for the pic of the old boat.